Saturday, May 28, 2011

Quincy Jones - for peace and for the children

Good news from the Mawazine Festival in Rabat. Quincy Jones, creator of the hit song, We Are The World, has partnered with UAE-based social entrepreneur Badr Jafar to jointly produce an Arabic single to raise money for arts and culture scholarships and projects for children in the Middle East and North Africa

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Bokra, an Arabic version of Jones' famous song Tomorrow (A Better You, A Better Me), is being recorded at the 10th edition of the Mawazine Festival, Rhythms of the World, currently being held in Rabat. It will have some of the biggest names in Arabic music, including Majida El Roumi (Lebanon), Kathem Al Saher (Iraq), Mayada El Hannaoui (Syria), Hussain Al Jassmi (UAE), Saber El Rebai (Tunisia), Amr Diab (Egypt), Asma Lmnawar (Morocco), singing.

Global Gumbo Group, which was established earlier this year, will record the new Arabic version of Jones’ famous anthem of peace, hope and unity. It was twenty six years ago that the iconic recording ‘We Are The World’, also produced by Jones, generated tens of millions of dollars to help ease suffering in Africa. A contemporary version of the song was also released last year to aid the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.

"I have long been a vocal proponent of music and the arts being a great asset in building bridges between people and cultures, and from my many experiences starting in 1953 touring the Middle East and North Africa with Lionel Hampton, I have witnessed that ability firsthand. I believe... people want to live in a world of peace and prosperity and it is my hope that this song will serve as a clarion call for the people of the Middle East and North Africa who share that desire for peace, hope, unity and a better tomorrow to come together to achieve that dream," said Quincy Jones.

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